José Gomez, the Portuguese head coach of Zamalek’s first football team, expressed his satisfaction after his team’s win over Abu Salim of Libya, stressing that they could have secured victory in the first half of the match.
Addressing the press conference following the game, Gomez stated, “We controlled the match, and I am very pleased with the team’s performance in the first half.
We managed to create numerous opportunities, and when you have the chance to score, you must capitalize on it to seal the game.”
The Portuguese manager pointed out that they were aware of Abu Salim’s prowess in set-pieces and long balls, stating, “We knew that Abu Salim is very strong in set-pieces and long throws, and the match was between two teams, each with its own style, but we succeeded in imposing our style.”
“I’m happy with our ability to create many scoring chances, especially in the first half.
We wasted a lot of opportunities, as happened before against El-Entag El-Harby in the league, and we need to rectify that,” Gomez added.
Regarding the caution he gave to the players regarding Abu Salim’s set-pieces, Gomez commented, “I already warned the players about Abu Salim’s set-pieces and long throws, which led to the opposing team’s goal.
We retreated in the last 25 minutes or so, and I take responsibility for that because I made four substitutions at once, which takes time for players to adapt.”
Looking ahead, Gomez emphasized the need for greater focus in the upcoming stages, saying, “In the next rounds, we will face stronger opponents, and we need to focus more and not squander these chances.”
Zamalek secured a crucial victory over Abu Salim with a score of 2-1 in the match held for the fifth round of the group stage in the CAF Confederation Cup, boosting their points to 13 and securing the top spot in the group, thus qualifying for the quarter-finals.
